YouSaid · the spoken record

De Soto

lines on the record: 195
first: 2003-04-10
most recent: 2007-02-13
sittings or episodes: 9
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Our goal is clear: an end to the occupation that began in 1967 and the achievement of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace with Israel. The overall goal of a comprehensive peace between Israel and all its Arab neighbours must not be neglected. We must act with the right mixture of firmness and flexibility with all parties to ensure that they move decisively down this path.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“We are therefore watching developments carefully to see how the Mecca agreement is implemented in the coming period and what actions are taken by the parties to sustain the new dynamic. Action by Israel to address the longstanding issue of prisoners and by the Palestinian side to secure release of the Israeli soldier held hostage in Gaza will be crucial to achieving lasting progress. We also look forward to next week's trilateral meeting. Excessive expectations should not be placed on one such meeting, but we hope that it will be the beginning of a genuine dialogue leading to negotiations that can define the end-goal for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, and clarify the path to achieving it. Certainly, all Quartet partners are determined to work together in supporting such an effort.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“We hope that it will lead to a Government that donors can support for three reasons: first, because only if the security forces work cohesively, rather than facing off in the streets, can the terrible violence in the occupied Palestinian territory be seriously tackled and security sector reform be durable. That is as vital for Israel as it is for Palestinians. Secondly, further delay in supporting Palestinian institutions and reviving economic life could have devastating and long-term consequences. Thirdly, while negotiations with Israel remain the province of the Palestine Liberation Organization and in the hands of President Abbas, the institutions of the Palestinian Authority also have responsibilities to ensure that Palestinian obligations are met under existing agreements.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“The United Nations remains hopeful that the Lebanese institutions will be able to perform their tasks and fulfil their responsibility on the way toward the establishment of the tribunal. With the initiatives now under way on the Israeli- Palestinian track, we have the opportunity to foster a dynamic in which positive developments are mutually reinforcing. That must now be the goal. The Mecca agreement signals a rejection by Palestinians of internal violence to resolve their differences. It marks a renewed commitment by the Arab world to supporting Palestinian unity and moderation.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“In this regard, it is of paramount importance that concerns are addressed through the tripartite mechanism chaired by UNIFIL, which has proved effective in finding solutions when the parties have chosen to engage in it. 5 On 6 February, the United Nations signed the agreement between the United Nations and the Lebanese Republic on the establishment of a special tribunal for Lebanon. The accord was earlier signed in Beirut. The signing was carried out in line with the mandate given by the Security Council to the Secretary-General to proceed, together with the Government of Lebanon and in conformity with the Constitution of Lebanon, with the final steps for the conclusion of the agreement.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“The incident took place at the same location where the IDF had shot at and destroyed four improvised explosive devices on the Lebanese side of the Blue Line two days before. The firing by the Lebanese armed forces constitutes a violation of resolution 1701 (2006) and a breach of the cessation of hostilities agreement. As I mentioned a moment ago, the Israel Defense Force also violated the resolution by crossing the Blue Line. The exchange of fire posed a threat to the lives of UNIFIL troops patrolling in the area. These incidents illustrate the continued volatility of the situation in southern Lebanon and the concomitant need for all sides to respect fully resolution 1701 (2006) and to continue to act with restraint at all times.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Pedersen and I remained in close touch with the parties to urge restraint and the resolution of this issue through peaceful means. Despite UNIFIL appeals, the IDF proceeded with the operation later that night. The Lebanese army opened small arms fire after the IDF made an opening in the technical fence but while they were still on the Israeli side of the Blue Line. The Lebanese armed forces intensified fire, using both rifles and machineguns aimed at the IDF bulldozer, which by that time had crossed the fence. The IDF responded with at least one missile. No casualties were reported. Subsequently, the IDF bulldozer and excavator worked in the earth to clear the area of mines and violated the Blue Line in the process.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“The general calm that has been prevailing in southern Lebanon since the cessation of hostilities last August was disrupted temporarily on 7 February. 07-23690 Mr. Guehenno briefed the Council on that day regarding an incident that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) subsequently had the opportunity to investigate more thoroughly. The IDF had signalled to UNIFIL that it intended to cross the Israeli technical fence to clear a number of mines that it claimed to have identified north of the fence but on Israeli territory. While acknowledging Israel's security concerns, UNIFIL urged the IDF to suspend its action and to resolve the matter by relaying its concerns through UNIFIL's liaison channels and through an urgent tripartite meeting, so as to avoid an increase in tension along the Blue Line. The UNIFIL Force Commander, Mr.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“It is vital that action is taken to ensure that final status issues are not prejudiced by the creation of facts on the ground. In Lebanon today at least three people were killed, and many others wounded, in a double bus bombing that took place near the mainly Christian town of Bikfaya, north-east of Beirut. Those bombings have occurred at a time of acute political tension in Lebanon. The domestic political impasse continues, with no change in the positions of the parties. The League of Arab States has continued its efforts at mediation. The United Nations representative, Geir Pedersen, who was recently appointed as Special Coordinator for Lebanon, has continued to work closely with all the parties to advocate dialogue and consensus on the various issues in contention.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Interventions have largely been through parallel mechanisms, which have gradually undermined the very institutions intended to serve as the foundation of a future Palestinian State. To facilitate the recovery of those institutions, resumption of direct support and more holistic approaches to both development and institutional reform are needed. We hope that the new Palestinian Authority Government's programme will facilitate a return to that approach. A third set of challenges relates to the continued lack of any positive Israeli action to remove settlement outposts and the continued settlement activity and barrier construction on occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank despite the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“The fiscal crisis of the Palestinian Authority is severe. Any new Government will face a budget 07-23690 deficit of about 30 per cent of gross domestic product, unless the currently unsustainable fiscal position is addressed - which would require reducing the wage bill, improving the collection of taxes and utility bills and streamlining social transfer. Israel must also consistently hand over the clearance revenue that it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. At present, Palestinian Authority public expenditures are supported mainly by external funding, and total revenues amount to less than two thirds of recurring costs. During the past year the programme of the current Palestinian Authority Government hampered the ability of donors to help to address those issues.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Today, 80 per cent of Gaza residents rely, at least to some extent, on food aid. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, closures now stand at 529, an increase of 25 per cent over last year, despite commitments made at the meeting between Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas in December. Without greater movement and access, trade will continue to drop, and reliance on aid will continue to increase. Palestinian institutions - including schools, hospitals and ministries - have been badly harmed over the past 12 months. The extended strike over the non-payment of salaries has also taken its toll. The financial management system of the Palestinian Authority has been degraded, with consequent weakening of transparent reporting on fiscal operations. The security sector remains oversized, factionalized, unevenly trained and under split command.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“The economy cannot be developed without major steps from both parties to implement all aspects of the Agreement on Movement and Access. Although there have been some improvements this year, the implementation of the Agreement remains very patchy. Between 1 January and 10 February 2007, exports through the Karni crossing, which is the primary transit point for goods into and out of Gaza, reached approximately 46 trucks per day, a four-fold increase in the number of truckloads exported in November 2006 but still only 11 per cent of the target set by the Agreement. Other aspects of the Agreement remain completely stalled. The effects of falling so far short of the Agreement's targets are being seen: factories are closing, farmers are not investing in export crops and labour markets have contracted.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Israel says its work is purely for safety and access reasons, but there has been a strong reaction in many quarters of the Arab and Muslim worlds. The Israeli Defence Minister has also indicated that proceeding with the work posed a security risk. That prediction seems to have been borne out late last week, when clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli security forces at the site and in other places in Jerusalem. While the Cabinet approved continuation of the work on Sunday, the Mayor of Jerusalem has suspended construction, but not excavation, pending a new zoning plan that would involve public consultation. A second set of challenges, also noted by the Quartet on 2 February, relates to preserving and building the capacity of institutions of Palestinian governance, as well as developing the Palestinian economy.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“However, the number of Israel Defence Force (IDF) search-and-detention campaigns in the West Bank has jumped by 58 per cent since the start of 2007, while armed and unarmed clashes between Palestinians and the IDF in the West Bank have risen by 88 per cent. The IDF must, when carrying out operations involving searches and detentions, adhere strictly to all international legal obligations, including human rights obligations. This year 19 Palestinians, including 5 children, have been killed by the IDF, and 72 have been injured. We are also deeply concerned about continuing tensions over Israel's construction work on a new walkway to restore a broken bridge leading to the Mughrabi Gate of the Haram al-Sharif - or Temple Mount - compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, and accompanying archeological digging.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and other heavy weapons were used by both sides. Schools, shops and businesses had to close, and United Nations humanitarian operations were interrupted. The violence has taken a terrible toll in civilian lives, living standards, social fabric and psychological well-being. It is equally important to calm Israeli-Palestinian violence, which has been deeply concerning in the past few weeks. In Eilat, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed three Israelis in an atrocity condemned around the world. At least 36 rockets have been fired from Gaza since 25 January. Israel has shown commendable restraint in the face of those unjustified attacks from Gaza.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“3 While we have reason to sound more hopeful today than we have been in previous briefings, no one should underestimate the enormousness of the tasks that would face any new Palestinian Government or the many difficulties in the way of fruitful discussions between Israel and the Palestinians. The first challenge is to curb violence of several kinds. This year alone, 137 Palestinians, including 13 children, have been killed by fellow Palestinians in internal clashes, while 445 have been injured. That compares with 146 killed in 2006 and 11 in 2005. Before Egypt brokered a ceasefire prior to the Mecca meetings, factional violence in Gaza crossed previous red lines with assaults on a presidential compound and convoy, on the Islamic University, and on training camps of rival forces.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“That would help to define more clearly the road map's destination - a permanent status agreement that resolves all outstanding issues, including, of course, borders, refugees, Jerusalem, settlements and security. Quartet partners are determined to give active follow-up to that and any subsequent trilateral meetings, as well as to the continued efforts being pursued bilaterally between Israel and the Palestinians. They intend to remain closely engaged with each other and regional partners in an effort to move the parties towards meaningful negotiations.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“The Berlin meeting will come just two days after the trilateral meeting convened by United States Secretary of State Rice on 19 February in Jerusalem, which initiative the Quartet discussed and welcomed when it met in Washington, DC, on 2 February. Intensive consultations are continuing between senior United States, Israeli, Palestinian and regional officials in advance of that meeting, and Quartet envoys are meeting in Jerusalem this coming Friday. The goal of the trilateral meeting, as stated by Secretary Rice at Luxor, is "to have discussions about the broad issues on the horizon so that we can work on the road map and try to accelerate the road map and move forward towards the establishment of a Palestinian State".”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“I use the word "potential" advisedly because the agreement has other aspects that also need to be examined, has yet to be implemented and has not been the subject of full discussion among Quartet partners. As they indicated in a statement on 9 February, Quartet principals hope that the desired calm would prevail as a result of the agreement. They are awaiting the formation of the new Palestinian Government and have reaffirmed their support for a Government committed to non-violence, recognition of Israel and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the road map. The Quartet will meet in Berlin on 21 February to give full consideration to developments.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“The commissioning letter also includes a Government commitment to work to achieve Palestinian national goals "as ratified by the 07-23690 resolutions of the Palestine National Council and the basic law articles and the national conciliation document and the Arab summit's resolutions". As the Council will be aware, a Palestine National Council resolution of November 1988 accepted Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and rejected terrorism in all its forms. The Council would also be aware that among the Arab summit resolutions is the 2002 Arab peace initiative. I cite those references because they show the potential of the agreement reached in Mecca.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“As the Council will be aware, on 9 September 1993, in a letter to the Israeli Prime Minister as part of an agreed exchange of letters, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman stated that "the PLO recognizes the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security. The PLO accepts United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). The PLO renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence". The commissioning letter also calls upon the new Prime Minister "to respect international legitimacy resolutions". Such resolutions include not only Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), but also resolution 1515 (2003), in which the Council endorsed the road map.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Some names of ministers were agreed upon in Mecca, including the important ministries of foreign affairs and finance, which will be occupied by independents well known to the international community, but other posts, including the key position of interior minister, are still to be finalized. The agreement incorporates the text of the commissioning letter that President Abbas would send to Ismail Haniya, which would initiate the process of Government formation. The letter calls upon him "to respect the agreements signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization".”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“A newly active Quartet, a more closely involved Arab world, a Palestinian national unity Government and the beginning of political dialogue between the parties have, when taken together, the potential to help restore calm and re-energize efforts to achieve a two-State solution. However, as violence and tension during the past few weeks attest, many immediate and longer-term dangers and challenges to stability and peace will have to be overcome. I turn first to the agreement to form a Palestinian national unity Government reached under the auspices of His Majesty King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, whose efforts, along with those of several other Arab leaders, to support Palestinian unity have been widely recognized, including by the Secretary-General. The process of forming a new Palestinian Government as such has yet to begin.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Mr. De Soto: When the Quartet met recently in Washington, it underscored the critical need to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Last week, a very important step forward was taken in the cause of stability and unity among Palestinians with the agreement to form a national unity Government, reached in Mecca. Next week, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert are scheduled to hold a trilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for the first 07-23690 Israeli-Palestinian discussions on the political horizon of the peace process in six years. The Quartet will meet again on 21 February in Berlin.”
2007-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5629 (2007) · source
“Together with our Quartet colleagues and working with the parties and our regional partners, the United Nations will do its part in trying to rebuild this bridge in the form of a carefully monitored and credible political process based on parallel implementation of obligations leading towards a clearly defined comprehensive peace. The objectives of the United Nations remain security and full recognition to the State of Israel within internationally recognized borders, an end to the occupation for the Palestinian people in an independent, sovereign State, recovery of lost land by Syria, and a fully sovereign and secure Lebanon, through the implementation of all relevant resolutions of the Security Council.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Recent developments have also driven home the interconnectedness of the region's problems and the shortcomings of piecemeal or compartmentalized approaches as opposed to an approach that is coordinated and comprehensive. Signs of willingness by Israel to open discussions with the Government of Lebanon, and by the Syrian President to talk to Israel - tentative as these are - should be considered in this light, and we hope that opportunities for adversaries talking to resolve differences will not remain unexplored.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“The international community's long-term goal is, of course, not only peace between Israel and Palestine, but also peace between Israel and Syria, and Israel and Lebanon. Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) stresses the need for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. My regional terms of reference reflect the United Nations commitment to this goal. 06-57842 The Arab Peace Initiative, which was endorsed by the Council of the League of Arab States in Beirut in 2002, also represents a crucial piece of the regional puzzle. A serious and systematic search for peace in the region requires dialogue with all the parties in the conflict, pari passu, to ensure that crises are managed and opportunities explored, and that developments on one track are not undermined by developments on another.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Israel clearly has more to do in this regard, in the light of the continued building of the barrier, the entrenchment of settlements and the rarely impeded mushrooming outposts considered illegal by Israel itself, despite its statements of intent regarding commitment to Road Map obligations. Last month, at its meeting in New York, the Quartet reaffirmed its commitment to the Road Map as the means to realize the goal of two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. The Quartet also stressed the need for a credible political process in order to make progress towards a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United Nations continues to work closely with Quartet partners to identify ways to restart such a political process between Israelis and Palestinians.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“That is why its platform should reflect Quartet principles and why donors, in turn, should signal their readiness to re-engage if there is genuine movement, in full awareness that such movement is more likely to be a process than an event. The international community should also expect all members of the Israeli Government, and its acts of legislation, to reflect their commitment to the principles of the peace process, including the goal of a two-State solution which ends the occupation that began in 1967, and to meeting their obligation not to advocate or pursue policies that create irreversible facts on the ground or prejudge final status issues.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“The difficulties that continue to bedevil efforts to form a Palestinian national unity government should 06-57842 not lead us to think that there is another simple, magic formula or quick fix that is likely to solve the current Palestinian political crisis. The route of national unity offers the most credible opportunity - indeed, perhaps the only one - to stem the slide into anarchy and for the security forces controlled by the presidency and those under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior to work together to provide basic law and order for Palestinians and prevent attacks against Israel, rather than continue to face off on the streets. Such a government will need international support if it is to respond to the aspirations of the Palestinian people for law and order and progress towards a two-State solution.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“The combination of near total closure of the Gaza Strip, non-payment of public-sector salaries, absence of basic law and order, declining service delivery, continued military strikes by air and land and the lack of any apparent political horizon is a truly explosive one - as potentially dangerous for Israel as it is currently dangerous for Palestinians. As my colleague Jan Egeland puts it, Gaza is a ticking time bomb, and only a political way out can defuse it. The United Nations fully recognizes the challenges facing both Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas in this regard. At the same time, we believe that they and their citizens have a shared interest in meaningful dialogue, and we offer them our full support in trying to develop it.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“The continuing violence in Gaza and southern Israel continues to kill, injure and endanger civilians. Palestinian militant rocket fire should cease, as should Israeli military operations. Both sides should comply with their obligations to respect civilians under international humanitarian law. The virtual siege of Gaza is having a devastating effect on the lives of ordinary Palestinians, stifling hope and fomenting despair, while the continued dangerous launching of rockets at Israeli population centres, such as Sderot, is a source of deep distress for ordinary Israelis. Palestinian institutions continue to be degraded, and the suffering of civilians widens and increases, particularly in Gaza.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“I should report also that Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has called for direct talks between Israel and Lebanon, but Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora has reiterated his position that his country will the last to sign a peace treaty with Israel. Meanwhile, Syrian President Assad has expressed publicly on more than one occasion a desire to negotiate with Israel in order to secure the return of the occupied Golan Heights and establish a lasting peace between Syria and Israel. While this has generated some debate in Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister has dismissed these statements and has stated that Syria must cease alleged support for terrorism. Mr. Olmert has also stated that, as long as he is Prime Minister, the Golan Heights will remain a permanent part of the State of Israel.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“The fragile balance between crisis and opportunity is also apparent in Lebanon, where momentum has been generated in the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), but also where the country's heavy political tensions remain a constant source of concern. The United Nations is continuing to work closely with all sides to encourage political leaders to commit themselves to dialogue in order to bridge their differences. The Council will receive the report on implementation of resolution 1559 (2004) shortly. The Secretariat will also continue to report to the Council directly on the status of implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), and I will, therefore, not address this further in this briefing.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Access to the occupied Palestinian territory by Palestinians of the diaspora has also been tightened in recent months. Palestinians holding foreign passports, including businessmen, students and professionals, have, in ever-larger numbers, been denied Visas that would permit them to visit spouses or families or tend to businesses. I should also report that Prime Minister Olmert announced in the aftermath of the Lebanon war that the plans on which he had been elected, namely, to withdraw Israeli settlements from parts of the West Bank, are on hold. The Prime Minister has, however, stated his willingness to meet President Abbas, and aides to the two leaders are exploring this possibility. Foreign Minister Livni and President Abbas also met during last month's opening of the general debate of the General Assembly.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“It would appear that only by decoupling economic access for civilians from the broader political impasse will the Agreement on Movement and Access be implemented. Only then will Palestinian economic life be given a chance to recover. Meanwhile, obstacles to movement in the West Bank have risen by 40 per cent in a year. Settlement activity continues, with the recent announcement of the construction of a further 950 settlement units in the West Bank. The construction of the main structure of the police station on the El block between Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim has largely been completed. The construction of the barrier on occupied territory, including around Jerusalem, has continued, in defiance of the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Israel has legitimate security concerns relating to human and commercial movements in and out of the Gaza Strip, and we continue to press the Palestinian Authority to meet its obligations under the Agreement on Movement and Access relating to the protection and administration of passages. For its part, Israel has undertaken in the Agreement to ensure the continuous 3 operation of passages and to facilitate the export of agricultural goods from Gaza. While specific security threats may require specific actions, analysis of Agreement implementation patterns shows that the significant tightening of closures at Rafah, Karni and Erez crossings have been heavily shaped by two events in 2006: the formation of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority Government and the abduction of the Israeli soldier.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Its importance has led the Quartet to invite the parties to consider channelling these funds through the TIM, at least for the present. Another ingredient for restoring hope to the Palestinians would be implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access, which was concluded a year ago next month. The Quartet believes that Rafah and other crossings must remain open in accordance with the Agreement. Despite discussions by Quartet members with the Israeli authorities on concrete steps to move forward - including proposals put forward by the United Nations - Israel's policy of near-complete closure of Gaza continues.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“There are growing indications that ministries are being transformed by the continued replacement of mid- to high-level officials with new appointees loyal to the current Government - a process that may also be accelerated by the departure of former officials in the absence of regular salary payments. We welcome the efforts of the European Commission to mitigate the worse effects of the crisis by renewing and expanding the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM), as agreed by the Quartet last month. However, the TIM. can neither substitute for the Palestinian Authority, nor can it be sustained financially over time. The continued withholding by Israel of over half a billion dollars of Palestinian money, collected via value-added tax and customs receipts, is the biggest single direct cause of the Palestinian financial crisis.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“A rolling strike has, in fact, been widespread throughout the public sector since 13 August. As many as three quarters of medical workers are not turning up at work, and WHO reports that most hospital wards are, in fact, closed. In response, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has had to open its medical facilities to non-refuges. Ninety per cent of teachers employed by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank are on strike, imperilling this year's academic cycle. Here again, UNRWA has been obliged to step in.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“We saw how important it is for these efforts to succeed two and a half weeks ago, when at least eight Palestinians were killed and more than 70 were injured in armed clashes in Gaza between the striking Palestinian security forces, largely loyal to Fatah, and the executive force deployed by the Hamas Minister of the Interior. United Nations workers on the ground also report an increased reliance on traditional law enforcement as family groupings resort to self- protection and take justice into their own hands. The members of the civil police - the only civilian service with the potential to provide public order and protection within the occupied Palestinian territories' increasingly insecure communities - have received 06-57842 less than 40 per cent of their salaries since March, and only half of them now show up for work.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“On 11 September, President Abbas announced that he had agreed with Prime Minister Haniyeh on the political platform of a national unity government. On 20 September, the Quartet encouraged those efforts in the hope that a national unity government programme would reflect Quartet principles and allow for early international engagement. Regrettably, following statements from Prime Minister Haniyeh calling basic points into question, these efforts did not succeed. Recent efforts by regional mediators to help the Palestinians unite have also not borne fruit. In our contacts with both the presidency and the Government, we continue to urge them and the movements of which they are members to make a new effort to overcome their differences.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Egyptian officials are leading diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis and report that a package is on the table designed to address both parties' concerns, but the captors say they seek additional guarantees. In Cairo last week, I conveyed the full support of the United Nations for the Egyptian efforts and expressed our readiness to assist in any way we can. The other crisis that must be overcome is the political crisis of the Palestinian Authority, which has for several months been governed by a President and a Prime Minister with divergent programmes and has been polarized by deadly clashes between rival security forces. Palestinian society is teetering between national unity one day and civil conflict the next.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Since that time, Israeli operations have killed 295 Palestinians, including 66 children, and have injured 1,113 others. However, neither these intensive operations nor continuing diplomatic efforts have led either to the release of the captured soldier or to the cessation of the indiscriminate rocket attacks, which have injured 20 Israelis since 25 June. A number of Israeli sources in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and intelligence services claim that weapons-smuggling into Gaza has increased in recent months, including through tunnels under the 06-57842 Philadelphi corridor and elsewhere. IDF forces launched a ground operation along the corridor in recent days, and there are reports that the IDF is preparing for a further intensification of its military operations in Gaza.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“Mr. De Soto: Today in the Middle East, crisis and opportunity exist side by side in a daily struggle for dominance over the fate of Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians and the region as a whole. At the heart of the conflict is the problem of Israel and Palestine. In that theatre, a deadly crisis continues in Gaza. For many months, Israel has conducted military operations, featuring tank, commando and infantry incursions, targeted killings from the air and firing from the sea, with the stated purpose of preventing the daily Palestinian militant rocket fire into population centres in southern Israel. These operations intensified after the capture of an Israeli soldier on 25 June and the killing of two others by Palestinian militants who had crossed from Gaza into Israel.”
2006-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5552 (2006) · source
“On the Israeli side, we continue to witness the creation of facts on the ground, including settlement expansion and a route of the barrier which deviates from the 1967 borders, raising serious concerns about whether it will ever be possible to achieve a viable and contiguous Palestinian State. We must deal with the new situation with the right mixture of firm adherence to basic principles and creativity to meet a rapidly evolving reality. The Secretary-General has invited Quartet principals to meet in New York on 9 May to discuss those important issues. They will be joined by key regional partners. We will, as always, keep the Security Council informed.”
2006-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5419 (2006) · source
“The third challenge is to address the new reality that both parties are on quite different trajectories from those they were on when the road map was drawn up by the Quartet and endorsed by the Security Council. Much has happened on the ground in the meantime. It is no exaggeration to say that prospects for achieving a two-State solution along the lines envisaged in the road map have receded through a combination of factors. Those include the radical departure of the new Palestinian Government from tenets long accepted by the Palestine Liberation Organization on behalf of the Palestinian people and its failure to meet the principles articulated by the Quartet.”
2006-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5419 (2006) · source
“Many major donors will not transfer funds to the Palestinian Authority but express their desire to ensure that the basic needs of the Palestinian people are met. However, the Palestinian Authority provides the bulk of the irreplaceable basic services necessary to avert a humanitarian crisis, and it is highly questionable as to whether the Palestinian Authority should be supplanted in those functions. Most Palestinians, for instance, receive their medical attention from Palestinian Authority-salaried nurses and doctors in Palestinian Authority hospitals and medical centres. The United Nations will continue to work with all concerned to try to find ways to ensure that the needs of the Palestinians are met.”
2006-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5419 (2006) · source
“In the light of current developments, it is likely that the scale of those activities will increase. United Nations entities will continue to discharge their responsibilities, to the best of their abilities, in keeping with their respective mandates. In so doing, United Nations programmes and agencies will continue to interact with their Palestinian Authority counterparts to ensure that we serve the interests of peace and meet the needs of the Palestinian people as effectively as possible. Political and diplomatic contacts may take place at the discretion of the Secretary-General. Increased United Nations and non-governmental organization activity cannot, however, fill the void that would be created were the Palestinian Authority no longer able to provide the vital services that it delivers now.”
2006-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5419 (2006) · source